Prickly Thorn, but Sweetly Worn
by EspressoShot
Summary: Walter Glass is about as incompetent as they come, and his kid sister Faye Louise is just naive. Their boys are dumber than a sack of hammers, and Tim Shepard regrets ever getting his gang involved with them.
1. Chapter 1

_And the thistle is a prickly flower  
__Aye, but how it is sweetly worn._

* * *

Curly comes crashing through the bedroom door and starts shaking him. He's already awake, and he halfheartedly swats at Curly.

"Fuck off, Curly," Tim groans. "Where do you get off thinking you can wake me up at this ungodly hour?"

"Walter Glass is in jail," Curly says.

Tim is suddenly wide-awake. "What the fuck? How'd you find out?"

"Faye Louise was prowin' around Buck's like she always does when Walt gets hauled in," Curly says. "Went home with her."

"Hope to god you wore a raincoat," Tim says tiredly.

"Shut up," Curly says. "I learned somethin', didn't I?"

"You want a cookie?" Tim says sarcastically. "A goddamn gold star sticker?"

"Please," Curly replies in an equally sarcastic tone.

Tim sighs. "Well, what's he in for?"

"Drunk driving with a suspended license," Curly replies. "Faye Louise don't expect to see him any time soon. Lordy, but she's pissed. She ain't even goin' to the hearing next week."

"She say anything about our deal?" Tim asks.

"Fuck me if I know," Curly replies. "I just wanted to get her into bed."

"I swear to god, Curly," Tim says. He rolls out of bed and starts shuffling toward the bathroom. He won't be able to get back to sleep.

"She'll be in bed until tonight," Curly says.

"Yeah? And why ain't you there with her?"

Curly looks hurt, and Tim wants to slap him across the face.

"Shut up," Curly says. "Go to hell."

"If Faye's called our deal, I'm already there," Tim says. He slams the bathroom door and locks it.

The house is empty when Tim gets out of the shower. He takes a swig of Dick's brandy and then decides he'd better take the whole bottle. He takes another few sips of the brandy, and then he stuffs it in his jacket pocket and starts toward Buck's.

XXX

Faye Louise doesn't show up at Buck's until late. Tim knew she wouldn't. She's drinking cherry flavored bourbon through a Red Vine when he finds her. She's done that as long as he's known her, and he's always thought it was disgusting. She's gotten Curly onto it, too, which makes it worse.

"Well, well, well," Tim says. He sits down next to her on the porch.

"You got two more weeks until your next pickup, Tim," Faye Louise says. She's always been a cool little chick.

"You slept with my kid brother last night," Tim says.

"OK, then you got six more weeks until your next pickup," Faye Louise says.

Tim snickers. "Believe I know your dirty little secret."

Faye sighs. "It's true. Curly gave me crabs."

He has to fight hard to keep from punching her, but he also has to fight equally hard to keep from laughing. He also doesn't doubt that what she said is true.

"Meant about Walter," Tim says.

"What about Walter?" Faye Louise asks. She's trying to be cool, but Tim can see the fear flickering in her eyes.

"Heard through the grapevine that he is … let's say unable to control his boys?" Tim replies.

"Don't know where you heard that," Faye Louise says. She takes a sip of her bourbon and a bite off her Red Vine.

"Who's in control of the Kings, then?" Tim asks. He thinks she'll drop her glass.

"Same person as always," she replies.

Tim had long thought that Walter Glass was just a figurehead, and Faye Louise was the real brains of the operation, but no one had ever confirmed it. Now, he's cornered Faye Louise, and she might as well have given him a signed affidavit.

"You know, Faye Louise," he says, "long as you're fucking my kid brother, you can't keep many secrets from me."

She gives him a hard stare, and he stares back just as hard. But she cracks first. He knew she would.

"I'm in way over my head, Tim," she says softly.

He nods and takes a sip of his beer. He's waiting on her to talk. The more she says, the better he can negotiate a new deal.

"Go on," he says.

"Walt's boys are dumber than a sack of hammers," she says. "If I left it up to them to find buyers, we'd be busted within a week."

"Well, if you're the second in command, why can't you lead?"

She snorts. "They don't take a chick seriously. Far as they're concerned, I just grow the plants. Walt and them do everything else."

They look at each other in silence for a few minutes. Tim takes a couple more sips of his beer, and Faye drains her glass of bourbon and finishes her red vine. Once again, she breaks first. If Walt could just stay in jail, Tim would be set for life.

"If you help us sell and help me keep the boys in line, I'll give you forty-five percent of the profit," Faye Louise says.

"Sixty," Tim says.

"Fifty," Faye Louise counters.

"Fifty-five," Tim insists.

"Thirty," Faye Louise says.

He snickers. "Fifty it is."

"Believe I said forty-five," she replies.

"God damn, you are smarter than Walt," Tim says. "But fifty is my final offer."

"Forty-five and I keep Curly out of your hair as long as we've got this partnership," she replies.

"You drive a hard bargain, Faye Louise," Tim says. "Forty-seven and you've got yourself a deal."

She's quiet for a minute, and he can see in her eyes that she's considering his proposition. Finally, she sighs and holds her hand out to him.

"Forty-seven and I'll keep Curly out of your hair," she confirms.

Tim wraps his hand around hers and shakes it.

"Walter's gonna be mighty pissed," he says.

"Walter shouldn't have gotten jailed for bein' dumb," Faye Louise says. "I'm in charge, and this is my decision. He don't like it, he shouldn't have done this."

Tim laughs. "I'll send Curly to pick up the order next week."

Faye Louise nods. "I'll blow him and we'll be even."

* * *

SE Hinton owns The Outsiders. The White Stripes own Prickly Thorn, but Sweetly Worn.

I've been wanting to write this for a while, but tonight I finally cranked out the first chapter. Brand New Colony will keep being updated, and Got to Move is still in the back of my mind. It'll be updated sooner rather than later.

I'd love some reviews! I've never done the Shepards before, so I'd love input. :D


	2. Chapter 2

The River Kings have been a thinly veiled train wreck for the past couple of years, and Tim is surprised that they haven't fallen apart yet. He's surprised that no one else has caught on.

He liked them better when Mike Archer was in charge, and Walter Glass was just the second in command. Archer ran a tight ship, and they had an established pecking order. There was a plan for who would take over if the leader got jailed, if the second in command got jailed, and on down the line.

The Kings were into moonshining back then. Jimmy Duncan had learned from his father, who had learned from his father before him back during prohibition. They had a still in an abandoned factory building by the river. Buck Merrill was their main customer, and he always kept his bar stocked with the stuff. But they also sold to the various drunks in their territory, and there was a rumor that the chief of police himself was a customer, but Tim always knew it was bullshit.

It was a good business while it lasted, but it all went downhill fast. Mike Archer was convicted for murder, even though everyone knew he was framed, and he got sent to McAlester. Walter Glass took over the gang, and all hell broke loose. He got cocky, and he got arrested for stupid, avoidable things more than he should have. He didn't have a rigid set of rules and consequences for breaking those rules like Archer did. He let his boys run wild and walk all over him. Tim should have broken off their alliance then. But they still had their moonshine, and they were really good at pretending to be organized. Plus, he needed every ally he could get against the Packers. So he kept it up with them.

Then their still exploded and burned the building down. It was by the grace of God that no one was inside, and it was pure dumb luck that it didn't get traced to them. But it also meant that they were suddenly without a business, and their leader was just about as incompetent as they came. They should have fallen apart then, but then Faye Louise came to town and saved them. It was perfect timing. Some people have all the luck.

XXX

Tim Shepard throws his cigarette butt out the window of his car and pulls away from the curb. It's not even nine o'clock, but he can tell today is going to be a scorcher. He's wondering why he even bothered with taking a shower. He will have sweated through his shirt by the time he gets to Faye's.

He's also mentally kicking himself for ever striking up a business deal with the Kings. Looking out for each other and guarding territory against a rival gang is one thing, but getting tied to them in matters of money is another. But he wasn't exactly in a great place when Walter Glass offered to get them in on their budding pot business. Tim's endeavor in selling stolen car parts had just gone belly-up, and Dick was quickly drinking away any money that the family had. The Kings were looking like they would get themselves together again, and he was hard up for money. He didn't want to see his family go without food or get the electric cut out from under them, so he agreed. This is what he gets for bringing his heart into the equation instead of just using his head.

He pulls up to a stop sign and lights another smoke. Faye Louise is facing a coup of epic proportions, and he's got money tied into her plants. Internal warfare is what tore the Tiber Street Tigers apart back in the winter, and Brian Cooper was an experienced leader. He knew a thing or two about keeping his boys in line.

But Faye Louise doesn't know much more than how to grow the plants, and she was being generous when she said Walt's boys were dumber than a sack of hammers. Tim's only had his own outfit for four years, since he was sixteen, but he'll be damned if he's going to lose his hard earned money because Walter Glass was stupid. This is as much his problem as it is the Kings', and he makes a mental note to never, ever go into business with another gang again. It's too risky. There's too much he can't control, and that just doesn't fly with him.

XXX

He rings the doorbell, and a dog immediately starts barking. It's Jake, Faye and Walt's Pit Bull. He looks scary, but he's even stupider than the dumbest guy in Walt's gang. He'd help a burglar take the plants out to his car as long as he scratched his belly first. Hell, the dog's best friend is Faye's tiny rabbit, Butterscotch. He wouldn't hurt a fly.

There's a sound of locks scraping, and the door opens. Faye Louise is wearing a slinky nightgown, but she's also holding a box cutter with the blade all the way out. Jake is panting, trying to fight his way out the cracked door.

"Get, Jake," she says sleepily.

When he doesn't budge, she switches into a baby talk voice and says, "go find Butterscotch!"

That makes him leave, and Tim steps through the door. Faye starts fastening the locks behind him. There are no less than seven of them.

"Jesus," he says under his breath.

Faye smirks at him. "I take the safety of my plants very seriously."

"Curly with you?" Tim asks.

But he doesn't need to wait for her answer. Curly comes stomping down the hallway wearing only his boxers and looking tired. Faye gives Tim an exaggerated wink.

"Where'd you go?" Curly slurs. "Shut your dog up and come back to bed."

"Your brother is here," Faye Louise says coolly.

Curly looks up at Tim and gives him a halfhearted wave. "Goin' back to bed."

"You do that," Faye Louise says.

Curly stumbles back down the hall, and then there's a sound of a door shutting. Faye Louise looks at Tim and makes a face.

"He would not shut up last night," she says. "So I crushed up a couple of Quaaludes and put them in his water glass. Sorry, but he was making me crazy."

Tim laughs. "Shoulda' thought of that a long time ago. Would've been a lot less trouble for me."

Faye Louise smiles. "Well, you want some water? I promise I won't put Quaaludes in it. Or I could make you some coffee? Roll you a joint?"

He shakes his head. "Nah. Just wanted to check out my investments. Make sure they were well protected and all."

"Well, you can see all the locks I got on the door. And there's Jake. And keeping up my half of the deal was only part of the reason I brought Curly home with me last night."

"The locks are good," Tim says. "But the guys I'm worried about are well aware that Jake is all bark and no bite. Literally."

She sighs and nods. "I know. That's why I got the box cutter. I don't go anywhere without it, and I haven't for a long time. Walt's gun is in my bedside table drawer."

He grinds his back teeth together. It's good, but it's not good enough.

"We'll work on it," he says.

Faye Louise takes a joint out of her bra and lights it. She intentionally blows the smoke right into Tim's face.

"OK," she says. "That's what you're here for."

* * *

Quaaludes are basically an older, more potent form of Xanax.

I hope this is going OK. But I honestly have no idea what I"m doing, so please give me honest feedback. Does it suck? Does it not suck? I'd love some reviews! :D


	3. Chapter 3

Walter Glass gets six months in county. It's the longest he's ever been locked up, and the Kings call a meeting the night of his sentencing. Tim makes sure to get to Faye's long before any of the others show up. He needs to be present when they arrive. He needs to make it clear who's running the show.

There's a Cream record playing on the stereo, and Jake is snoring in the corner. Faye Louise is smoking a joint and staring off into space. She might look cool and calm to some, but Tim notices how her eyes are open wide and her hand is shaking slightly as she smokes. He can tell that she's scared to death.

He's reminded of the first night he met her. She'd just gotten to town, and Walt brought her to The Dingo to introduce her around. She was trying to act aloof and like nothing was wrong, but her fading black eye and the cuts up and down her arms that she was trying to hide with her cardigan told another story. When Tim asked her what had happened, she said that she was mauled by a bear. When he asked Walter, he replied by asking if he wanted to get his nose broken a fourth time, and then told him she'd been in a car accident. He didn't buy either story, but he kept quiet about it and didn't mention it again.

But now, Faye Louise is lighting up another joint, and he knows he has to say something to calm her nerves. The boys already don't respect her. He can't let her have a nervous breakdown in front of them.

"Be cool, Faye," he says. "You fought off a bear all by your lonesome a few years ago. Me and you can manage a gang of idiots for a few months."

She smiles faintly and blows her smoke out her nose.

"Yeah. And you should've seen the bear after I got through with him."

Tim laughs. Jake wakes up, stares at the door, and growls. They can faintly hear people on the other side talking, and then there's a knock. Faye Louise takes one last hit off her joint and then puts it out with her fingers. She looks up, and she and Tim lock eyes. Another, more insistent knock, and Faye stands up and wordlessly walks over to the door. Tim notices that she has her hand in her skirt pocket, and he knows she's going for her box cutter. She may be a chick, but she's smart.

XXX

The tension in the room is palpable, and all of the Kings are staring daggers at Tim. Bobby Mack, Stewart Hall, Jimmy Duncan, and Ronnie Waters. They're dumb as rocks and don't know the first thing about running a gang. All they know is how to follow. But they don't want Tim there, and he knows he's outnumbered if they try to jump him.

"Who invited Shepard?" Ronnie finally asks. "This don't concern him."

"I did," Faye Louise says. "And considering he buys more than half the crop, I think this does concern him."

That shuts him up. More uncomfortable silence follows. Faye Louise picks up her half-smoked joint from earlier, lights it, and takes a hit.

"Well, Faye, Shep, this is how it's gonna be," Bobby says. "I'll be taking over for Walter. We're gonna broaden our horizons and find more buyers. Also got a guy who says he'll trade me heroin if I give him one of the pot plants. It's a good deal with potential to turn a lot of profit, so we're goin' for it."

"Mack, I don't know if it's cute or just plain sad that you think you have any say in what happens to the plants," Faye says. "Those are my property, and you have no right to go promising them to people."

"Walter ain't here," Bobby says.

"Walter don't have anything to do with it," Faye says. "I grew those plants from seeds. I risked hard time and brought them down from Nebraska. I take care of them, and I think we all remember what happened when Jimmy tried his hand at it. We still haven't come back from that loss. You don't have pot, you don't have money, and you wouldn't have the pot without me."

"Well, ain't you just a selfish little bitch?" Mack says.

"You don't talk to a lady like that," Tim growls.

"This ain't your place, Tim," Bobby yells. "This don't concern you and I'll talk to her how I damn well please."

Tim gets out of his chair, preparing himself for a fight, and Bobby lunges forward. But instead of going for Tim, he screams and grabs his shoulder.

Faye Louise is breathing hard, trying to hide how scared she is at what she just did. The box cutter has droplets of blood on it.

"Next time, it'll be your throat," she says. Her voice sounds calmer than she looks.

Tim looks around the room. All the Kings are staring at her, stunned. Hell, he's surprised himself. He didn't think she had it in her.

Bobby is still grabbing at his shoulder, and blood is starting to seep between the gaps in his fingers.

"Let me tell you how it's really going to be, Robert," Faye Louise says. "You're gonna go to this heroin guy and tell him the deal is off. Tim and me run the show now. You'll answer to us and only us. Do I make myself clear?"

"This is such bullshit," Jimmy mutters. "Walt would never stand for this."

"I think we've pretty well established that Walter isn't in the picture right now," Faye says. "These are the rules now. You can abide by them, or you can get out and try to make your own money."

Bobby looks around at the boys and nods his head toward the door.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll call off Shepard, and you'll step aside and let me lead. As it is, I'd sleep with one eye open," Mack snarls.

There's a crack, and then Mack is on the floor. His nose is crooked and bleeding, and Tim is standing over him with his hand still curled into a fist.

"Anyone else?" Tim asks.

There's silence from the boys.

"Walter ain't here no more," Tim says. "And when I'm in charge, there's rules, and there are consequences for breaking those rules."

There's a sizable bloodstain on the floor where Mack is. His nose and the cut on his shoulder are both bleeding profusely, and he hasn't even tried to sit up yet. Tim has made his point. He means business. But he's not done with Mack just yet. He wants to make him pay for being such a little shithead.

"And insubordination," he says. He gives Mack a hard kick to the ribs. "Is just about the worst thing you can do."

He kicks Mack again. The way he wheezes as he tries to get his breath back is oddly satisfying.

"Now, all of you, get out of my sight," Tim says. "We'll be in touch."

Bobby struggles to stand up, and in the end, Jimmy and Stewart have to put one of his arms around each of their shoulders and practically carry him out. Tim slams the door behind them and turns to Faye Louise.

"You all right?" he asks.

She nods, but she's white as a sheet and looks like she might faint at any second.

"Are you OK?" she finally manages.

"Fine," Tim says. The only thing that's wrong with him is that his hand is a little sore. "I do this kind of stuff all the time."

Faye nods. Her eyes drift to the bloodstain on the carpet and then to the box cutter that she's been holding so tightly her knuckles are turning white. It still has drops of dried blood on it. She suddenly feels sick. The reality of what she's doing hits her full-force, and she's never felt more terrified and overwhelmed in her life. She looks up at Tim, and then she collapses against him, sobbing.

* * *

I'd love some feedback on this chapter! I tried to make it realistic, but I get nervous, haha :)

PS, Brand New Colony will be back in the next day or two. I've just really been feeling this story, and I wanted to get this scene over with.


	4. Chapter 4

Bobby Mack had to go to the hospital to get his nose set and stitches where Faye Louise cut him. He also had two broken ribs. As far as Tim knows, he's been laying low at home ever since.

But Tim has seen the rest of the boys around town these past few days. They talk some, and they're friendly enough to him. Stewart even buys him a beer at Buck's. They don't try to jump him or do anything stupid. There's a sort of uneasy peace between him and the Kings now, but he still keeps his guard up. He's well aware that things could go sour at any time and without warning.

Tim also knows that Bobby Mack is still a threat, even though he hasn't seen him lately. Mack is a special kind of stupid, and even though they put him in his place, he wouldn't put it past him to break into Faye's house and try something. Tim knows she's armed, and she wasn't kidding when she said she'd slit Mack's throat the next time he tried something. But the thought of a girl all alone and possibly in danger doesn't sit right with him, so he assigns Curly to be her personal, live-in bodyguard.

Curly practically jumps up and down and shrieks like a little girl when he hears about the arrangement. He thinks he's so secretive, acting like he doesn't care about her, treating her like he would any other girl, and saying the only thing he wants from her is sex. But Tim has heard the bedsprings squeaking and Curly moaning her name at night when he thinks he's asleep enough to know it's a lie. He's got it bad for her, and he has pretty much ever since she got to town.

Faye Louise is less thrilled about sharing the house with Curly, but she knows that they have a deal, and that keeping Curly occupied is part of it. So she goes along with the idea without complaining. And, to tell the truth, she does feel safer having someone else in the house with her.

Tim has a feeling that, by the time Walter gets out of jail, Faye Louise will have either fallen in love with Curly or killed him. Both outcomes are equally possible.

XXX

"What does this do?" Curly asks.

"Controls the humidity," Faye Louise says.

"What's this thing?"

"It's a space heater, Curly. What does it look like?"

"Why do you have fans and a space heater?"

"Because we need to keep the air moving, and the space heater doesn't do that."

They're in the basement, which Faye and Walt turned into a grow room. Faye Louise is trying to check on and take care of the plants, but Curly is complicating things by constantly asking questions and getting into everything. She's about to give him water laced with Quaaludes again.

"What's this thing?"

"Curly, don't touch that! Keep your hands to yourself. Didn't you learn that in kindergarten?"

"I had to do kindergarten over."

"What, you couldn't color inside the lines?" Faye Louise asks.

"No, I couldn't keep my hands to myself," Curly deadpans.

Faye laughs. Curly gets on her nerves sometimes, and she'd never ask him to help her run her brother's gang like she did with Tim. But, even if he's been annoying her, he has a way of quickly getting back on her good side. She doesn't know how he does it. He's almost like a puppy in that respect. He does something to get on your nerves or get in trouble, but then he does something funny or cute, and you just can't stay mad at him.

Curly sits on the floor and watches as Faye Louise starts carefully inspecting the first plant. He's seen pot plants before. One of Angel's friends had one for a while, but it was always brown and sick looking, and the bud it grew was terrible. But Faye's plants are huge, green, and healthy, and she grows the best pot he's ever had.

"How'd you get so good at this?" he asks.

"Well, Walter and I were raised by our grandparents on a farm out in the panhandle, so I've been around plants my whole life. They had me helping with crops not long after I could walk. And, I don't know, I was just good at it."

She picks up watering can, pours some water at the base of the first plant, and moves onto the second one.

"So then Walter left as soon as he was eighteen. It wasn't the best life out there. I stayed for a couple of months, and then I couldn't take it there without him, so I ran away. Somehow I ended up in Omaha, and I met this guy who had a small pot business. Smaller than what we have now, even. But I started working for him. I just did deliveries at first. Then he had a plant that was dying. Couldn't bring it back. He was gonna get rid of it, but I asked if I could try and save it first."

She looks up at Curly and smiles a shit-eating grin. "And I fucking saved it. So the guy made me partner. I learned everything there was to know about growing and harvesting and all. And I was really fucking good at it. Even created my own strain."

She finishes watering the plants, stands up, and shrugs. "I dunno. It's my calling."

"Well, why'd you leave Omaha? Did Walt ask you to come down after their moonshining tanked?"

She tenses. "No. Things went sour and I had to get out. I didn't even know he was moonshining."

She pushes past Curly and bolts up the stairs. He hears her run across the floor above him, and then the back door slams.

"Shit," he says under his breath. He forces himself up off the floor, up the stairs, and out the back door after Faye.

She's lying on the grass in a small patch of shade from the yard's only tree. Jake is next to her, and he can faintly smell the sweet pot smoke. He takes his sunglasses out of his pocket and lays down next to Faye.

"Sorry if I said something wrong," he said after a minute.

She shakes her head, takes a long hit off her joint, and passes it to Curly.

"Don't be. It's alright," she says. "But never, ever ask me about Nebraska again."

He nods, takes another hit, and passes the joint back to Faye Louise. They lay next to each other in silence, passing the joint back and forth until it's gone.

Faye turns toward Curly and props herself up on her elbow. Her eyes are red, and her cheeks are rosy from the heat outside. She smiles lazily down at him.

"Anybody ever tell you that you look like Bob Dylan?" she asks.

"People only ever tell me I look like Tim," he replies.

"Well, you look like Bob Dylan. If he had black hair."

She looks at him intently, studying him. He's looking back at her, but there's no need for him to study her. He already knows every part of her, and he can see her clearly if he closes his eyes. The long brown hair, the big green eyes, the nose that's a bit too big but somehow suits her and makes her look cute. The body that's so skinny, but somehow always feels soft against him.

"It's the sunglasses," Faye Louise says.

"Huh?" Curly asks, snapping out of the trance that he was in.

"You've both got that curly hair, but those sunglasses really make you look like him. It's the sunglasses and the hair together."

"Who are you talking about?"

"You!"

"No, the other guy," Curly replies.

"Bob Dylan?" Faye Louise asks.

"Guess so. People only ever tell me that I look like Tim."

"I think we've had this conversation before," Faye says. "I think we just time traveled."

"Bet Tim's never time traveled," Curly says absently.

"You look so much like Bob Dylan. I can't stand it. Sing me a song."

"Fuck, I can't sing."

"Neither can Bob!" Faye exclaims.

She's just said the funniest thing in the world, and they both burst out laughing. They laugh until they can hardly breathe and their eyes are tearing up.

"I'm so fucking hungry," Faye Louise says once they've stopped laughing and caught their breath.

"I'm so fucking horny," Curly replies. "Pot makes me horny. You make me horny."

He pulls Faye Louise over to him and kisses her deeply.

"What 'cha say, babe?" he says. He's talking through his nose, trying to make himself sound like Dylan. "Let's have some fun, huh? Don't think twice, it's all right."

She giggles and goes with his kiss, tangling a hand in his hair. There's no food in the house, and there's really nothing else to do. They might as well have some fun.

Curly's her friend, sure, but she doesn't really have feelings for him. They just have an understanding. They both like sex, he's amazing in the sack, and neither one of them is steady with anyone. It's a good arrangement. It was even before it became part of Faye's business deal with Tim. She wouldn't change a thing about it.

She doesn't know that Curly wants more, and he's going to do everything he can while he's living in her house to get it.

* * *

I have no self control when it comes to publishing. I write something, I publish something ;)

"Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" is a Bob Dylan song.

Could I maybe get some reviews? What do you think of Curly? :)


	5. Chapter 5

Curly Shepard wakes up with a start. The room is dark, he's disoriented, and he's not sure what woke him up. He's still not fully awake when there's a loud crack and the room suddenly lights up.

"Shit," he says. "Shit shit!"

By this point, the storm outside has woken Faye Louise up. Curly falls out of bed and starts frantically looking for something, still cursing under his breath.

"Curly?" Faye asks. "The hell are you doing?"

"Missed wakeup call. I'm not dressed, and they're making the rounds. Fuck, they're gonna get me for this. Where the hell is my shirt?"

Faye Louise turns on the table lamp, and Curly squints and blinks in the newly illuminated room.

"Are you OK?" Faye Louise asks. "Did you take something?"

Curly's eyes have adjusted to the light, and he slowly takes in his surroundings. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. Outside, there's another roll of thunder. He's not where he thought he was, and he feels like an idiot.

"Thought I was in the reformatory," Curly mutters as he flops down on the bed. "Was dreamin' about it before this damn storm woke me up."

"So you would've rather kept on dreaming about being locked up?"

She's right. Things were about to take an unpleasant turn in his dream. Really, he woke up just in time.

"Would've rather not started acting like a damn fool soon as I woke up. Shit, I need a cigarette. Where's my smokes?"

He rolls out of bed and starts looking for his pack of Camels. Faye Louise also gets up.

"Gotta check the plants," she says. "Sometimes the basement floods when it rains like this."

He's left alone in her room, stumbling around, still trying to wake up. He must have searched the room three times before he found his cigarettes, sitting out in plain sight on the dresser. He lights one and then opens the blinds on the window. He smokes his cigarette and watches the storm roll in.

He's just lit a second cigarette when he feels a pair of arms slip around his waist. They shift positions slightly so they're standing next to each other, and he has an arm around her shoulder while she keeps an arm around his waist.

"How's the plants?" he asks.

"Fine for now. Gotta keep an eye on 'em if it keeps raining like this."

Curly nods and takes another drag off his smoke.

"Was it very bad in the reformatory?" Faye Louise asks.

He shrugs. "Sometimes. Sometimes not."

She nods and slightly tightens her arm around his waist. Curly finishes his smoke and grinds it out on the windowsill. He sighs and kisses the top of Faye's head.

"Wanna go back to bed?" she asks.

"Do you?"

She nods and gives him a kiss. "Come on, Bob Dylan. I'll give you shelter from the storm."

XXX

He's not sure if the thunderstorm or his mom and stepdad fighting woke him up, but regardless, Tim Shepard is beginning to regret assigning Curly to be Faye's bodyguard. He should've done it himself. He would've gotten to sleep in, get some peace and quiet for once, and he's sure he'd also get laid. It's a couple weeks at least of living the good life.

But he hates leaving his mom and Angel all alone with Dick, and Curly isn't much good at standing up to him. He tends to just make everything worse. Tim's closer to his boys here, anyway. And he'd never admit it, but maybe, in some way, he wanted to do something nice for his kid brother. He's gotten better at keeping cool and stealing things without getting caught, and he did good telling him that Walter Glass was in jail when he found out.

There's a crash that's definitely breaking glass and not thunder, and then his mom is yelling. He groans and puts his pillow over his head. It's too early to deal with this.

XXX

There's a decent crowd at Buck's, and Tim and his right-hand-man, Marty Sullivan, are about to make a move on some girls when Stewart Hall sits down next to them.

"Hall," Tim says.

"Shepard," he replies. "Got something that might be of interest to you."

"Go on."

"The past couple nights, I seen Bobby Mack hanging around Biff Wilcox and some of those other old Devilhawk boys. I know they've kinda fallen apart as a gang, but I don't like it. They're planning something."

Tim rolls his eyes and takes a cigarette out of his pack. He'd been hoping that Bobby Mack wouldn't give him any more trouble, but he should've known better. Mack really is a special kind of stupid.

"I don't like it either, Hall. You did good coming to me with this."

"So what're we gonna do about it?"

"You think you or any of the other boys cold get close enough to him to find out if there's a plan?" Tim asks.

"Sure Jimmy can. They were always good buddies," Stewart replies.

"You see what ya'll can get out of him. Come talk to me tomorrow or the next day. We gotta nip this in the bud quick."

"Sure thing, boss," Hall says. Maybe he isn't as useless as the others. But Tim still isn't quick to trust him.

"And Hall," Tim says. "If I find out you or any of the rest are plotting against me and Faye Louise…"

He doesn't need to finish his sentence. The look he gives Stewart is threat enough.

XXX

Curly's got a smug look on his face and an arm around Faye Louise's waist when they get to Buck's. He's so damn proud of himself because he thinks he snagged an older woman. Or, at least, that's how he's gonna tell it. Never mind that she's actually the girl he's been mooning over for the past two years. Never mind that this was part of a business deal. He's gonna say what he has to to make himself look good.

Tim doesn't know where Hall ran off to, so it's just him who goes up to Faye and Curly at the bar.

"Let's go outside," Tim says. "You and me gotta confab."

Faye nods, and she and Curly follow Tim to a secluded spot on the back porch.

"What's up?" Faye Louise asks.

"Just learned somethin' interesting from Hall," Tim says. "Seems Mack is trying to get himself in with Biff Wilcox and what's left of his boys. They're up to something."

"You expect me to be afraid of Biff fucking Wilcox? He's a child for Christ's sake!" Faye says.

"We're the same age," Curly grumbles.

Tim ignores him. "It's Mack we gotta worry about. He knows the layout of your house, all about the plants, that your dog is useless, what you're armed with, everything. And if he's got backup, he's gotta be planning something."

"You think he's gonna break in and take the pot?" Faye asks.

"That's what I always thought. That's why I sent Curly over. But now that Mack's got help, they're an even more serious threat."

"So what do we do?" Faye Louise asks. She's starting to look nervous.

"Hall and the others are gonna try to get something out of Mack. I want you and Curly to go back to your place, lock up, and don't leave the house for anything until I come by and give the all clear."

"What if the house is on fire?" Curly asks.

Faye snickers, and Tim just rolls his eyes and sighs an exasperated sigh.

"I swear to God, Curly …"

"It's a legitimate question!"

Once again, Tim ignores him. "I don't like ya'll out here. There's no one guarding the house. Head back there, lay low for a couple days, and keep your guard up."

Faye nods in understanding, and Tim shifts his eyes to Curly.

"And only leave if the house is on fire."

* * *

Shelter From the Storm is a Bob Dylan song, so just building on the "Curly looks like Bob Dylan" thing.

I'm getting married in a week (ahh! D:) and I've been _beyond_ scatterbrained, so let me know if anything looks wonky. I just needed to write something and de-stress.

I'd love some reviews! They're a great pre-wedding gift! ;)


	6. Chapter 6

They've only been in the house for a few hours, but Curly is already bored. He and Faye have already done it twice, the TV is off the air, and Jake got tired of playing fetch and fell asleep. Faye is smoking a joint and reading a magazine. There's nothing for him to do, and he's starting to get agitated just sitting on the couch and listening to Faye's god awful Simon and Garfunkel records.

Curly sighs heavily, and Faye ignores him. He reaches over and grabs the magazine out of her hands.

"I'm bored," he says. "Entertain me."

"Pretty sure I already did that. Twice."

"Third time's the charm."

Faye Louise rolls her eyes. "Take some of my Quaaludes. They'll knock you out until the morning."

"I'm too bored to sleep," he replies.

"That doesn't make any sense. Shouldn't have let you eat candy. Sugar always makes you hyper."

"Shut up," Curly replies. He opens Faye's magazine and starts flipping through it.

"I look nothing like Bob Dylan," he says after studying a page for a few seconds.

"You just can't see it because you're so used to your face. People never think they look like people."

"And _I'm_ the one who doesn't make any sense?"

"Whatever. Do you wanna do something stupid with me?"

Curly tosses the magazine aside. "I'm listening."

"Let's slash Mack's tires."

His first instinct is to agree with her and go along with her plan without question. He wants to get back at Mack as much as anybody. But he suddenly hears Tim's voice in his head, giving him that lecture he's heard so many times before. Think it through. Have a plan. Make sure it can't get traced back to you, and if you think you might get caught, don't risk it.

"He'll know it was us," Curly finally says. "That's something you do when you're hacked off at somebody. Stealing his hubcaps, though, that could've been any old junkie or drunk looking for something to pawn to get a fix. And we'll be able to make a quick buck after this all blows over."

Faye stares at him, her mouth open and her eyes wide with shock.

"My god," she says. "That's actually brilliant."

XXX

Bobby Mack is in a foul mood. He woke up that morning to find that his hubcaps had been stolen sometime during the night. He can't prove it, but he knows it was Tim or one of his boys who did it. They're still trying to show him that he doesn't run the show and that he's still in trouble with the boss. Not that Tim is his boss or anything.

Bobby figures he's not a River King any more, and that's just fine with him. He doesn't want to associate with a bunch of guys who are so weak that they'll let an outsider just waltz in and take control. He can't believe that Hall, Duncan, and Waters are going along with Faye and Tim's bullshit. But they'll get theirs soon enough. He and Wilcox are putting the finishing touches on something big.

There's a knock on the door. He opens it to find Stewart Hall and Jimmy Duncan on the other side.

"The fuck do you want?" Mack sneers.

"Nice to see you too, Mack," Jimmy says. "Are you gonna be a gentleman and invite us in?"

"I'm gonna invite you to get the hell off my porch. Why don't ya'll go back to Shepard? You seem to really like being his bitches."

"Hell, no," Stewart says. "Fuck him, and fuck this whole thing with Faye. She and him are tryin to make it so we don't get our cut."

"Yeah, well, should've been smart like me and gotten the hell out once Faye Louise decided she wanted to play gang leader with Tim."

"Look, Mack, it was a bad call. We get that now. We want in with you and Wilcox and them."

"Ain't no way in hell I'm lettin' ya'll in," Mack says. "This is ya'll's problem now. I ain't losin' part of my cut because ya'll were stupid."

"C'mon, Mack. What about loyalty? Ain't we all River Kings?" Duncan asks.

"Don't you talk to me about loyalty. Ya'll are the ones who let someone from another gang come in and start runnin' the show without puttin' up a fight. That ain't loyalty neither."

"We hate Faye and Shepard as much as you do. We could be real useful. Spy or somethin'. You know, be double agents," Jimmy says.

Mack considers this. He already knows just about all he needs to know about the Glass's house and their plants. But having people on the inside could be useful. It would be easier for him to keep tabs on Faye Louise and Tim that way. And if this job goes well, it'll get him on Wilcox's good side. He'll be climbing up the ranks in no time.

Mack sighs and opens the door a little wider. He motions the boys on the porch inside.

"Gotta clear this with Wilcox first," Mack says.

He disappears into the kitchen to use the phone, and Hall and Duncan trade a look. They're playing this totally by ear, and they're both a bit surprised that they've gotten this far.

Mack's call to Wilcox starts sounding like it's going south. Mack keeps apologizing and then getting cut off mid sentence.

"Shit," Duncan mutters under his breath.

Hall nods. He knows just as well as Duncan that they won't get any information out of Mack. Wilcox isn't going for it. He sighs and looks down at his shoes. Then something on the coffee table catches his eye. He jumps slightly; taps Jimmy on the arm, and then points to the pieces of paper once he has his attention.

They only have about a minute to study the papers before Mack is back in the room, telling them that Wilcox said no and he doesn't trust people who work for Shepard any further than he can throw them. They're practically pushed out the door.

But it doesn't matter much. They've learned enough.

* * *

It's been a busy, rough couple of weeks. I know this was pretty short, but it's been hard to get back into the flow of writing. At least it's something :)

I would love some reviews! :D


	7. Chapter 7

Tim knocks on the front door, drops his cigarette on the porch, and grinds it out with his shoe. He waits for a minute before he turns around to face Hall and Duncan.

"She normally sleep late?" he asks.

Hall shakes his head. "Don't think Faye Louise sleeps much at all. Never seen her eat either, come to think of it."

Tim knocks on the door again, louder this time. Jake starts barking.

Then he faintly hears Curly's voice. "Go away!"

"Open the fucking door, Curly!" Tim yells.

"Piss off! Come back in ten minutes."

"Curly!"

The locks start scraping, and then a blushing Faye Louise appears in the doorway. Her hair is messy, her blouse isn't buttoned properly, and she's breathing hard. Curly isn't wearing a shirt, and he's sitting on the couch with a blanket over his lap and a scowl on his face. Tim puts two and two together almost instantly.

"That's disgusting," he says. "People sit on that couch."

"Sucks to be them," Faye says. She takes a half-smoked joint out of the ashtray and lights it. She takes a few hits and then hands it off to Curly.

"Ya'll learn anything about Mack and Wilcox?" she asks.

"They're planning to break in, just like Shepard thought all along," Jimmy says. "Would've never thought Mack had it in him to just betray us like this. But he's drawn up a map of the house, planned where to position their guys so you can't escape, even figured out how to distract Jake so he don't start barking and draw attention from the neighbors. They're planning for the end of next week, after the harvest but before we start selling it off."

"Shit," Faye says. "So what're we gonna do? More locks? Board up the basement window? Does he know Curly's here with me?"

"It don't matter, Faye Louise. Mack's an idiot, but Wilcox knows a thing or two about breaking and entering. Managed to hit a liquor store on the edge of our territory and get away with it. Same joint got Curly here locked up for six months."

"Cool your chops, Tim. That was years ago," Curly grumbles.

Tim continues on like he didn't hear him. "Even with Curly stayin' here, ya'll are outnumbered six to two, and I don't much care for those odds. And I don't think I've gotta tell you their plans for once they get hold of you, Faye Louise."

The color drains from her face, and she instinctively reaches into her pocket for her box cutter.

"Got any bright ideas, Tim?" Faye asks.

He nods. "You and Curly keep laying low. Hall here's gonna start staying over tomorrow. Me and Duncan will join ya'll once the harvest starts, and we'll hang out until all the product is sold off. All of us will be able to fight 'em off easy."

"Sounds good to me," Faye Louise says. But she still looks nervous, and her voice shakes some.

"Hey, you don't got anything to worry about," Curly says. He puts his arm around her shoulders. "You got me to protect you."

Tim rolls his eyes. "If I were you, I'd start keeping the gun on me."

Faye nods. "Will do. Hey, anyone seen Ronnie lately?"

Jimmy shakes his head. "Pulling one of his disappearing acts, I'm sure. You know how he always does this. He's a loyal member of the gang unless the chips are down, and then he's nowhere to be found."

"Well, if he thinks he's gettin' a cut, he's got another thing coming," Faye Louise says.

"You got more important things to worry about, Faye Louise," Tim says. "You and Curly keep layin' low, keep the gun on you, and don't open the door for nobody unless it's Hall comin' by tomorrow night."

"Bring beer when you come," Curly says to Hall.

Faye nods in agreement. "And bourbon. Cherry flavored. And some Red Vines."

XXX

They leave not long after. After latching all the locks on the door, Faye turns to Curly. There's no missing the lingering scowl on his face.

"Poor baby," Faye Louise teases as she climbs onto his lap. "Someone's grumpy when he doesn't get off, huh?"

He's about to reply, but then she's kissing and sucking softly on his neck. He lets his eyes fall shut, and the only reply he gives her is a soft moan that escapes his lips.

"Where were we?" she purrs in his ear.

In one swift motion, Curly wraps his arms around Faye Louise, lifts them both off the couch, and picks her up.

"Believe I was takin' you to bed," Curly growls in reply.

"Sounds about right," Faye says with a throaty giggle.

Neither one of them has ever been so happy that the bedroom is so close to the living room.

XXX

Faye sighs softly in her sleep, and Curly tightens his arm around her. She's been out for hours, but he hasn't been able to sleep. There's too much on his mind.

He knows that if anyone can run the show and keep Faye safe, it's Tim. Curly can't even remember the last time that Tim had a job go south. He does a good job of keeping himself and his boys out of trouble, and this job is no different.

But what Mack wants to do to Faye Louise - _his_ Faye Louise - is a special kind of sick. And so what if he'll never get the chance? It doesn't change the fact that he came up with the idea. It doesn't make Curly hate him any less.

Faye shifts slightly, and Curly presses his lips against the back of her head. He knows he has to do something. He has to get even with Mack.

He could sneak out the window, jog the few blocks to Mack's house, and slash his tires. If he's feeling brave, maybe he'll even smash out the windshield or put some dents in the hood. It's not enough. It's nowhere near enough. But at least it's something. No one so much as thinks about laying a finger on Curly Shepard's girl.

He'll sneak out the back window. If anyone wants to break in, that will be the last place they'll try. He'll be back in just a few minutes, and chances are Faye Louise won't even wake up and notice he's gone.

He kisses Faye's cheek, whispers a goodbye, and rolls out of bed. He's able to sneak out the window without waking Jake, and then he's on the street, jogging toward Mack's.

He hasn't gotten far when he hears a voice say, "well, if it isn't Baby Shepard."

Curly stops in his tracks and turns around.

Bobby Mack steps out of the shadowy alleyway. He's grinning evilly. He's got a gun.

* * *

Dumb Curly is dumb and doesn't think everything through. And by everything, I mean most things ;). Here's a nice cliffhanger for you!  
First published chapter as a married woman! I'd love some reviews! :D


	8. Chapter 8

Curly has learned how to put up a front. He scowls, slouches, and puts his hand in his pocket – ready to go for his knife. He knows he looks tough, but he can hear his heart pounding in his ears, and his blood is ice cold. He's suddenly very aware of just how bad off he is. He's alone, nobody is going to show up and help him at this time of night, and Mack's got a heater.

Mack starts toward him, still wearing that evil smile, and Curly mentally curses himself for not listening to Tim and just laying low.

"Awful late for you to be out all by your lonesome," Mack says. "These streets ain't safe at night."

"Sure ain't," Curly replies. He takes his knife out of his pocket and flicks it open.

Mack laughs. "Didn't big brother teach you not to bring a knife to a gun fight?"

"Get bent, Mack. Bet it ain't even loaded."

"Oh, it's loaded," Mack says. He's still walking forward, slowly closing the gap between them. He flicks the safety off. "But I'd be happy to give you a demonstration if you don't believe me."

_I'm going to die_, Curly thinks. Then, a surge of adrenaline, and his vision goes white. He rushes at Mack, tackling both of them to the ground. There's a loud crack, and his first thought is that Mack falling hard on the pavement is what caused it. Then there's a searing pain in his hip and the realization that it was something else. The gun went off. He's been shot.

In the split second that Curly takes to look at his wound, Mack punches him, knocking him off balance and letting Mack take the upper hand. He's throwing punches left and right, and all Curly can do is fight to make any cuts he can on Mack's flesh.

He finally makes contact with Mack's shoulder and cuts a long gash down to his stomach – re-injuring the wound Faye Louise caused last week. Mack yelps and recoils, grabbing at his shoulder. Curly swings again and misses. His arms feel heavy, like there are bags of sand tied to them, and it's getting harder to move and stay focused on Mack.

_Least I went out fightin'_, Curly thinks. _Tim would be proud._

"Little shit," Mack says. He hits Curly's temple as hard as he can with the butt of the gun.

Mack cusses him out and then starts walking away. His footsteps echo in Curly's head until he's consumed by blackness.

XXX

Faye Louise rolls over into the cold, empty spot that Curly left behind. She's barely awake, but she has a feeling in her gut that something isn't right. She slowly opens her eyes, and instead of being greeted by Curly's sleeping form, she's looking straight into the illuminated face of her alarm clock. It's just after two-thirty in the morning.

"Curly?" she calls sleepily. No response. She sits up.

"Curly?" she calls, louder this time.

She turns on the table lamp and grabs the gun from the bedside table drawer. She's on high alert as she prowls around the house. There's no sign of anything amiss, but also no sign of Curly. On her second pass through, she notices that the kitchen window is wide open. There's a muddy shoe print on the windowsill, positioned like someone was climbing out rather than breaking in. She slams the window shut and latches it. Against her better judgment, she puts Jake on his leash, grabs her keys, readies the gun, and steps out the front door.

There's a figure lying in the street maybe 150 yards away. An icy fist grips her stomach.

XXX

Curly Shepard wakes up to something hot and wet on his face. There's noise that sounds like a woman screaming, but it seems like it's a million miles away and underwater.

"Jake, fucking stop it! Oh god, oh god! Curly, oh god what do I do?"

He slowly opens his eyes and looks up. He's surprised that the woman is right next to him. Another few seconds, and the girl comes into focus. It's Faye.

She crouches down next to him. "Curly! What happened? Who did this to you?"

His vision is already starting to fade around the edges.

"I think … I was shot…" he manages before he passes out again.

XXX

Tim Shepard is dreaming that he's stuck in a maze-like jail, and the only way he can get out is by finding the phone that's ringing incessantly and answering it. The warden starts yelling. He jolts awake. Dick is in the kitchen, screaming at somebody.

"Do you have any fucking idea what time it is? I swear to god, I'll find you and kill you myself! I won't get Tim for you, stop fucking crying!"

Tim grabs the phone out of his stepfather's hand.

"Believe this is my call," he growls. He puts his ear to the receiver to his ear. "Yeah?"

The sobbing, hysterical woman on the end is talking a mile a minute. She probably doesn't realize she isn't still on the phone with Dick.

"Hold on. _Hold on_," Tim says. "Start from the beginning. Who is this? What's happening?"

The person on the other end sighs a long shuddering sigh. "We're at St. John's downtown. Curly's been shot."

Everything clicks, and he feels sick. "Faye?"

She doesn't respond to his question, but what she says next lets him know it's her. "I woke up and he was just gone and I went outside and he was just lying in the street all bloody and … Oh god!"

"Which hospital are ya'll at?" Tim asks. He's working hard to control his breathing and keep his cool.

"Saint somebody; I don't know! There was so much blood. God, they killed him."

"Just breathe, Faye Louise," Tim says. "I'll be right down."

Dick has already passed out again on the couch, and there's no sign of his mom or Angel. He'll call them in the morning, when he knows they'll be awake. What happened to Curly is bad enough; there's no sense in them losing sleep, too.

Tim cranks his car and lights a cigarette, only to immediately grind it out. He punches the steering wheel until his hand is sore, and then he pulls away from the curb. He curses under his breath for the whole drive to the hospital.

XXX

He calls Marty Sullivan from the hospital waiting room just before six in the morning. By then, the nurses got sick of listening to Faye's sobbing and slipped her a hefty dose of Quaaludes. Marty is less than amused when he shows up bleary-eyed at the hospital, and even less so when he has to practically carry Faye Louise out to his car. But one look at Tim, and he's glad he didn't blow him off.

"I owe you for this," Tim says.

Marty shrugs. "It's nothin'. Hope Curly's all right."

Tim sighs, takes the cigarette from behind his ear, and lights it. He has to call his mother and tell her about Curly soon, and he's dreading it.

"I do too."

* * *

Ugh, Curly! Why can't you be more like your brother and think things through?!  
Thank you so much to everyone who's reading! I'd love it if you'd leave even just a short review. I've never written anything like this before, and I want to know how I'm doing. :D


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